1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector and, more particularly, to a body-mounted connector that is securely fastened to either the door body or the vehicle body of an automobile with a spacer, and is connected with the mating member after being fastened to the automobile body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a body-mounted connector of the type that is fastened to the vehicle body or to the door body (so-called door-mounted connector). The door-mounted connector 1 is provided with a body engaging tabs 1c projecting from the inside of the shroud 1b having a mating connector socket 1a formed therein. Engaging arms 1d and 1e are formed on top and bottom edges of the socket opening 1a, respectively, in a tapered shaped projecting therefrom, as shown in FIG. 11. Note that the right area of FIG. 11 with respect to a door body member 2 shows the inside of the door body, and the left area shows the exterior side of the door body.
The door-mounted connector 1 is inserted in the direction of the arrow to a mounting hole 2a formed in the door body member 2. The engaging arms 1d and 1e projecting perpendicularly from the shroud 1b pass through the edges of the door body member 2a by flexing themselves. As a result, the engaging arms 1d and 1e and the body engaging tabs 1c are in contact with the outside surface 2b and inside surface 2c, respectively, of the door body member 2. Thus, the body-mounted connector 1 is fastened to the door body member 2 with the door body member 2 sandwiched between the engaging arms 1d and 1e and the body engaging tabs 1c.
When the mating connector 3 is connected to the body-mounted connector already fastened to the door body member 2, as shown in FIG. 12A, there is often little clearance for inserting the mating connector 3. Thus, the mating connector 3 must be inserted not in the coaxial direction, but in an inclined direction with respect to the socket opening 1a. In this case, the end of the connector 3 contacts and flexes the engaging arm 1d projecting on the top of shroud 1b, effectively disconnecting the engagement with the door body member 2. When the engaging arm 1d is thus disengaged, the body-mounted connector 1 tilts, as shown in FIG. 12B, the bottom engaging arm 1e is disengaged from the door body member 2, and as a result the connector 1 falls out to the bottom.
In the case of a door-mounted connector in particular, if the connector disengages from the door body member and falls, it falls inside the door, and the problem is that it cannot be easily retrieved.
In addition, with a conventional body-mounted connector as described, a large operating force is required during installation because the engaging arms are forcefully flexed during insertion to the body, and when repeatedly inserted and removed, the spring of the engaging arms is lost; another problem has been that the engaging force with the body weakens.